Just Breathe
by Innocent.Love.09
Summary: Sometimes that tiny shred of light in the darkness can be the salvation you've been waiting for.LupinxOCxBlack 5th Year for the Muraders :
1. Chapter 1

**Disclamer~ ****I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to Harry Potter. I do however own my own characters. Any similaies to real or imagined people is truly by accident…so please…no suing.**

**Set in the 5****th**** year during the Muraders time ^^. Please review ^^**

-9-9-9-9-9-9-9

Katy whistled under her breath, feeling more out of place then she did when she stepped off the plane in Britain. King's Cross Station was crowded and she was lucky enough to find Platform 9 ¾ but…well…_now _where does she go? Katy knew she should ask for help but…back home in America she was fifth year, and no fifth year would stoop to ask a first year for help. She cast a worried glance behind her, her German shepherd Jerry Lee sniffling the ground before raising his leg to do what all males do natural.

"Way to violate a new place Jerry Lee," Katy groaned, rubbing her temples. Her familiar wagged his tail as the stream of urine turned into a sprinkle.

"Katy McAllister, are you ready?"

Katy looked behind her to see her uncle's tall, lanky form behind her. He was glaring down at her with dark beady eyes, beefy hands shoved in his pockets. Katy nodded, reigning in the urge to bit the inside of her cheek. She knows her uncle didn't like her. She was what they called a "half blood". And if Dad hadn't of gotten sick and…no! Katy refused to think about that now.

She forced a strained grin on her face. "Yes Sir Mr. Delos," she replied respectively. Jerry Lee growled low in his throat.

"10:59am," Mr. Delos said, mentioning to the scarlet steam engine in front of her. "You have one more minute left before they leave you behind."

"Ah yes sir! I'm sorry! Good bye Uncle-" his face darkened, "I mean Mr. Delos," Katy said hastily, pushing her dolly forward. Her stuff wobbled and for a second Katy thought her Qudditch broom would fall off. But Mr. Delos was there. Holding it in place.

"We should have gotten you a new broom," he spat. "It looks like a decripted thing out of Goodwill."

"Well I'm sorry we don't live up to your expectations," Katy snapped, her anger bubbling up. She shoved forward, refusing to look down and look at her uncle. Jerry Lee walked alongside her with his head held high (though Katy knew how much he was eyeing the cats and owls, he was actually being good for once). It was a struggle to get on though. Jerry Lee felt that as any good canine he should get on first to nibble on the owls whereas Katy felt she should get on first because she's human. Jerry Lee won.

The Hogwarts train was amazing to her, but then again everything about England was amazing to her. The people, their accents. One girl screamed, baby fat face in pure terror as Jerry Lee dragged over to her. "Don't let him bite me!"

"He won't! You just smell like…ah…something… ," Katy trailed off.

The girl, obviously a first year by her youthful appearance, looked up at Katy with those brilliant blue eyes. Her blonde curls were pinned back with a Hello Kitty pin. "Are you sure," she whispered, giving Jerry Lee a look over. Katy didn't blame her. Jerry Lee was unusually large for his breed.

"Yes mam," Katy replied respectfully, this time allowing a real smile to come through. No doubt in her mind that dear Mr. Delos would have already left the platform by now. "Do you know where the fifth years are at?"

Jerry Lee licked her fingers, whining. This time the girl cracked a smile. The girl pointed in a cabin to her left. "That way. Um…I'm Danielle Sanders by the way," Danielle said softly.

"It's nice to meet Danielle. Thank you." Katy tugged on the leash in the direction of the fifth years. "Come on you ogre," she said, winding the leash around her right wrist and leaning all her body weight on her dolly to go forward. Jerry Lee was dragged unwillingly behind, whining and straining to reach Danielle. One could see his muscles twitching like live things underneath his glossy black coat to reach the shy first year.

"No!" Katy growled, forcing herself to walk. Her wrist was on fire! But Jerry Lee was moving in her direction and that was what counted.

"Do you need help?"

Katy looked up to see a young man with light brown, fluffy, hair and light green eyes. He was tall and lithe; more of a bookworm if Katy had to guess. He had his wand out, concern in his eyes. Katy nodded. "Sure. If you could just take my stuff and I'll-"she started when she felt the slack.

It happened so fast it was almost unbelievably slow. One second there was slackness on her wrist, as if Jerry Lee had turned around. The next there was something akin to a _roar _as her dog charged the guy in front of her. On instinct Katy gripped the leash in both hands, yanking back as hard as she could. The man stumbled back as Katy was _dragged _forward; Jerry Lee snarling and snapping, fangs a chilling bone white in the early morning light as he strained to reach his intended target. His large paws were scraping at the carpet flooring, leaving behind faint claw marks. Katy flung herself to the right, body slamming against someone's door.

They screamed from inside and Katy could see the faint glows of their wands being pulled out. "Not yet," she yelled. Using all the upper body strength she had, she looped the handle of the leash around the doorknob and pulled out her wand.

"Bloody hell!"

"Moony you ok?"

"Jerry Lee!" Katy thundered. He ignored her, foam flying everywhere. He had a target in sight and he was going to _get _it." _Somnus!" _she yelled, directing the powerful sleeping spell towards the dog. It struck Jerry Lee square in the back; he arched up, eyes rolling to the back of his head before collapsing with a loud thud into a snoring pile, tongue rolling out.

The cute guy's friends (who else would they be? No one in their right mind would come running when they saw a giant beast of a dog like Jerry Lee) were at his side: one with almost curly dark brown hair and steel gray eyes, his wand at the ready, standing in front of the cute guy who was now watching her on his ass. The other friend was trying to help the cute guy up, though it was hard to see his eyes because of the way the sun caught the glare of his glasses. The two friends looked like they wanted to skin Jerry Lee alive.

"Bloody hell," Four Eyes snapped. "You can't keep a rabid beast like that in a pound?"

Katy couldn't help the rage that built up. "Don't you _dare_ insult my familiar! It's not his fault! He was trained to do that," Katy snapped. She could almost hear her wand crackling with power, with rage.

"So you train him to attack random people? Well aren't you on the Miss Congeniality List," Curly Hair seethed.

"Guys stop it," the Cute One said, dusting himself off. Though Katy noted he kept himself well away from Jerry Lee's sleeping form. "He didn't bite me. Are you ok?"

_No. My shoulders hurt like hell. _Katy nodded. "I'm so so so sorry," she said. "Jerry Lee never acts like this unless there's a supernatural creature around."

"A what?"

Katy sighed._ Here we go again.._ "Supernatural creatures. Specifically werewolves. Jerry Lee was trained to hunt them." At this she offered the three guys a sheepish smile. "I'm not much of a witch as I am a hunter in training. Again I'm so sorry. Are you ok?"

As if on cue their three faces paled, the Cute One's considerably. "McAllister!" someone yelled. The fifth year she was suppose to meet? "McAllister what's going on?"

"Ah! You should go," Katy said, surveying the scene around her; one passed out dog, her things strewn about everywhere, and her broken down Qudditch broom by her feet. The three guys needed no encouragement. They were gone in a flash.

"Great," Katy breathed under his breath. "I've only been in England for three days and already I've caused a scene. I'm going to fucking hate it here."


	2. Chapter 2

It twisted Katy's heart to see Jerry Lee in a muzzle. He looked utterly miserable but Katy had to admit that he had to wear it. After the scene on the train, no one wanted to sit her. No amount of soothing, of begging would let anyone sit with her. Even the student who was suppose to watch her, a brainy Ravenclaw, wanted to be near her until a muzzle was created for Jerry Lee. And even then Katy was shunned to a compartment all by herself. Well…at least people were kind enough to stack her stuff together while she struggled to carry Jerry Lee to back where they were.

"What is wrong with you boy," Katy sighed, scratching behind his ears. She looked up to see a shadow through the cloudy glass; someone standing outside her door. Their hand was raised, as if unsure to knock or not. _The Cute Guy? Nah . No one is that crazy._ "Come in?"

The shadow lowered its hand the door opened slightly to reveal the shy first year, Danielle Sanders. "He's safe right," she squeaked, pudgy cheeks bright red.

Katy nodded. Danielle crept forward, closing the door with a slight click. "Why did he try to attack Mr. Lupin?"

"- oh you mean the cute one." Katy shrugged, leaning her head back into the cushioned headrest. "I don't know. Normally he's a total marshmallow." Katy watched as Danielle squatted in front of Jerry Lee, hand shaking as she stroked his ears. _The poor girl must be scared of dogs…yet she's pretty brave to be petting Jerry Lee._

As if hearing her thoughts Danielle blushed, looking away. "I don't like dogs," she confessed. "When I was five I was attacked by a dementor and I ran away from it only to fall in a junkyard dog's territory." The girl shuddered. "But…Jerry Lee…he's…different…somehow…he's nice…to all Mr. Lupin."

Every time the girl said "" her face grew a bright pink. Katy leaned forward, a sly smile forming on her face. "Do I detect a crush little girl?" she purred. "On this Mr. Lupin?"

"Oh no," Danielle yipped but her face was turning into a nice rosy red. "He would never like me! He's a Gryffindor fifth year! And no doubt he's a perfect. And I'm just a first year and I'll prolly get kicked out of Hogwarts because I'm a coward –" she trailed off; eyes shining with god knows what cute daydreams were rolling around in her head.

Katy ruffled the girl's blonde curls. "I think you're incredibly brave to even come into my coach." Danielle looked up at Katy in pure disbelief and Katy smiled. Jerry Lee was happily thumping his tail against the floor as if in unspoken agreement. "And anyone who tells you otherwise obviously has a steel pipe shoved up their ass."

Danielle giggled nervously. "How did you meet Mr. Lupin?"

"I dropped my stuff and he helped me pick it up." _Ah…so it's one-sided then. _

Katy nodded knowingly. "Forbidden love…so secret and so yummy. Can you smell it Danny?" Danielle giggled, this time more at ease and Katy joined in. "What's his name? Maybe I can talk to him? Ya know, just a walk around the park for you two since you're right…you're jailbait Danny girl."

"Remus Lupin. And those two guys you saw besides him are his best friends James Potter and Sirius Black."

Katy snorted. "Potter and Black can wait. Jerry Lee didn't try to attack them; he tried to attack Remus."

"But I can really get a walk with him?"

The expression of utter hope made Katy want to aw. "I'll see," she said pleasantly. "You and your friends can have something to gossip about eh?"

At this Danielle's hopeful face faltered. "I don't...ah...have any friends." She looked down at her feet. "I'm actually…well a…I'm not supposed to be here because I'm a squib. But my mum talked to Dumbledore and here I am."

"What's a squib?"

Danielle looked up as if she couldn't quite believe what had come out of Katy's mouth. "People who can't use magic…a failure basically."

Katy popped the girl upside the head lightly with the palm of her hand. "Look Danny…I want you to stop thinking of yourself as a failure and a coward right now. From this point on you are gonna be my partner-in-crime, no matter what happens, got it? We're gonna be brave, we're gonna be kickass, we're gonna fail Potions together. And no matter what happens, we'll always look on the brightside. Kay? Cuz no self respecting hunters-in-training think of themselves as failures."

"Hunters-in-training?"

Katy nodded. "Most of the time they're ordinary people but sometimes people like me are taught. Wanna be one? I can teach you some moves?"

Danielle nodded her face in utter ecstasy! "I would love it! What's our first lesson?"

Katy looked the girl over; she was kind of on the pudgy side though pointing that out to her would no doubt dash her self esteem. "Let's start with how to punch first. Go get your stuff and I'll make some room for you here." Danielle hopped to her feet and ran. Katy liked Danielle. Granted she had a serious self esteem problem, but overall she was a good person. Shy, but good and regardless of what she said Katy thought she was pretty brave.

9-9-9-9-9-9

"You ok Moony?" Sirius asked, relaxing in his seat.

"Bloody hell he's ok!" James snapped. "That thing was a foot from his face! I was getting ready to skin it!"

Sirius grinned. "Nah. Just shoot it!"

Remus forced a smile, though his mind was still stuck on what the foreign girl had said. "_A hunter-in-training_." Did that mean she was here to kill him? Just the very thought of someone, anyone wanting to kill him, it meant that he had finally driven people to the point where they were willing to kill him.

At first Remus had thought the girl was cute; she was petite standing at least at a 5'2'. Her build was average, light brown hair cut neatly across her shoulders with bangs wisped to the right. Her eyes were a dark brown, a dusting of freckles across her cheeks. She wore dark blue skinny jeans and a simple, matching top, the purple leash wrapped around her wrist not revealing the true grisly-ness of the dog that was trying to lick the first year's hand. Her voice sounded odd to his ears; it had a country twang to it and was definitely American. Perhaps she had come from a southern state? Or did it even matter where she came from: now he ran the risk of being killed by her!

"Earth to Moony, you there?"

Remus jumped to attention. "Yes?"

"Padfoot and I are thinking of hexing that dog so it turns into a raving mad bunny," James stated as if it was a near unimonius fact by all three people in the cabin.

Sirius shook his head. "It's a guy dog isn't it? Be careful it doesn't try to hump your leg while it's a rabid bunny."

"Right. How about we dress up as inferi and chase her down the hallway when we get to Hogwarts? She did say she was more of a hunter then a witch."

"You two…," Remus started but looking at his two friends' conspirtal faces he felt his own break out into a slight grin. "It really was an accident."

James snorted. "Yes but she's obviously going to be at Hogwarts isn't she? And with that dog! Besides…no matter what happens Moony, we won't let you die. We still need you to help us pass this year after all."

Sirius nodded. "Yes yes! And to get us off the hook when the need calls for it."

"Is that all I'm good for?" Remus asked his grin widening. "Just a Get Out of Jail card?"

"Basically," James and Sirius chimed in. it was obviously a joke and Remus found himself laughing along with his friends. They would take care of him. Ever since they had become animagi…they were always by his side. So as long as the girl never found out what he was then everything should be good. _Should _be.

Remus cast a glance out the window; they were already well on their way to Hogwarts. Luckily for him, the moon was a wanning crescent. He had at least a little over half a month (though his calculations may be off; now with the guys as animagi the only notice he took of the moon was whether or not it was full) of prepration. Plenty of time to stay away from the dog and the cute foreign girl.


End file.
